<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 18px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 16px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: #0000FF;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 16px;    text-decoration: none;}ul {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 16px;}ol {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    padding: 0px 0px 0px 15px;    font-size: 16px;    border-left: 2px solid black;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 12px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;    background-color: #EFEFEF;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article><header><figure><img src="https://clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Pelicans-news-Brandon-Ingram-slaps-LeBron-James-in-the-face-with-Zion-Williamson-comments-Thumbnail.jpg"></figure><h1>Pelicans’ Brandon Ingram slaps LeBron James in the face with Zion Williamson comments</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2021-02-25T13:23:37-08:00">February 25th, 1:23pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2021-02-25T13:23:37-08:00">February 25th, 1:23pm</time><address><a>Marty Fenn</a></address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Did New Orleans Pelicans swingman Brandon Ingram seriously forget he shared the floor with one of the greatest players in NBA history?</p><p>Ingram was asked Thursday about both Zion Williamson being named a Western Conference <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-ja-morant-reacts-zion-williamson-making-all-star-team/">All-Star reserve</a> after the former No. 2 pick earned that honor last season. The Duke product spoke highly of Williamson, to say the least:</p><blockquote>“I’ve never played with a player as talented as me,” Ingram said, via Pelicans reporter <a href="https://twitter.com/EliotClough/status/1364786287409065987">Eliot Clough</a>. “He’s a generational talent.”</blockquote><p>There’s just one problem with this, of course: Ingram has played with LeBron James. The 23-year-old was James’ teammate during LeBron’s first year in L.A. in 2018-19, though it was a season rife with drama and trade chatter.</p><p>The latter part in particular could explain why Ingram might be so quick to forget about his lone season with James. Los Angeles was an organization in disarray that season, with James openly campaigning for the Lakers to trade for Anthony Davis and Magic Johnson resigning as president of basketball operations after a deal for Davis fell through.</p><p>Of course, Brandon Ingram was arguably the headliner in the eventual trade for “The Brow” anyway. Perhaps his resentment of how the whole saga went down is the cause for such a statement.</p><p>Granted, Williamson is certainly a generational talent. Zion has taken the NBA by storm in his sophomore campaign, averaging 25.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting a whopping 62 percent from the floor. Still, his career is in its infancy, relatively speaking.</p><p>James, on the other hand, is already regarded by many as the greatest basketball player to ever live. Suffice to say, Ingram is going to take some heat for these comments.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans’ Brandon Ingram slaps LeBron James in the face with Zion Williamson comments

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 18px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 16px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: #0000FF;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 16px;    text-decoration: none;}ul {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 16px;}ol {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    padding: 0px 0px 0px 15px;    font-size: 16px;    border-left: 2px solid black;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 12px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;    background-color: #EFEFEF;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article><header><figure><img src="https://clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/ingram-1.jpg"></figure><h1>Pelicans’ Brandon Ingram reveals how he reacted to All-Star snub</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2021-02-24T21:08:50-08:00">February 24th, 9:08pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2021-02-24T21:08:50-08:00">February 24th, 9:08pm</time><address><a>Kriel Ibarrola</a></address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/sports/nba/new-orleans-pelicans" rel="noopener">New Orleans Pelicans</a>  forward Brandon Ingram headlines one of the biggest “snub class” in NBA All-Star Game history this year. While obviously disappointed that the league did not recognize the strides he made to his game this season, the 23-year-old swingman said he will just use the slight as fuel to further elevate his game to an even higher level.</p><blockquote>“I took it as motivation. Of course, I’ve got to be self-aware, and say that if it was questioned, maybe I’m not doing enough. Maybe I need to get more wins. I’ll be good enough to not have it questioned anymore,” Ingram shared, per <a href="https://twitter.com/Jim_Eichenhofer/status/1364793502698270722" rel="noopener">Jim Eichenhofer of Pelicans.com</a>.</blockquote><p>To be fair, Brandon Ingram is not the only notable name left out of the All-Star conversation this year. Names like Domantas Sabonis, Trae Young, Bam Adebayo and several other deserving players have somehow been excluded from the festivities at State Farm Arena in Atlanta next month.</p><p>Even Phoenix Suns superstar Devin Booker did not initially make it and was only included as an injury replacement for Anthony Davis. If there’s any consolation for Ingram, his Pelicansteammate Zion Williamson did make it as a West reserve, so the Pels will at least still be represented.</p><p>After failing to meet expectations in his early years with the Los Angeles Lakers, Ingram has turned into a legitimate franchise player since moving to NOLA in that blockbuster Davis trade. He deservingly won the Most Improved Player award in 2020-21 and was named an All-Star for the first time.</p><p>The Duke alum has gotten even better this season with the Pelicans, tallying 24.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists while shooting 47 percent from the field and a career-best 39.7 percent clip from past the arc.</p><p>A day after being snubbed, Ingram came out with a statement performance against the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday, recording 27 points, eight assists and seven rebounds in the Pelicans’ win.</p><p>The league, meanwhile, has been the most talented as its ever been in years. Some pundits feel that a 24-man All-Star roster won’t cut it anymore and the NBA should increase that to 15 each from the two conferences.</p><p>Ingram may have not made it this year, but the Pelicans youngster will definitely be an All-Star for years to come.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans’ Brandon Ingram reveals how he reacted to All-Star snub

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 18px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 16px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: #0000FF;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 16px;    text-decoration: none;}ul {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 16px;}ol {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    padding: 0px 0px 0px 15px;    font-size: 16px;    border-left: 2px solid black;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 12px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;    background-color: #EFEFEF;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article><header><figure><img src="https://clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/pels.jpg"></figure><h1>Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram vocal on Pelicans’ change of heart</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2021-02-21T18:44:01-08:00">February 21st, 6:44pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2021-02-21T18:46:56-08:00">February 21st, 6:46pm</time><address><a>Paolo Songco</a></address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New Orleans Pelicans made history on Sunday night as they mounted the biggest comeback in franchise history against the Boston Celtics. The Pelicans escaped with a 120-115 overtime win against Boston after trailing by as many as 24 points in the third quarter. After the statement victory, Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram were all praises for their team’s collective effort.</p><p>For Zion, what stood out for him is how the entire Pelicans squad united in the face of adversity:</p><blockquote>“It was a big win for us because we stayed true to who we were,” Williamson said postgame on ESPN NOLA 100.3, via team insider <a href="https://twitter.com/Jim_Eichenhofer/status/1363655764557127682">Jim Eichenhofer</a>. “We rallied back. Everybody – coaches, players, ballboys – everybody was just engaged and we needed all that energy, and we pulled through.”</blockquote><p>Ingram echoed his teammate’s thoughts, expressing how the team’s collective effort resulted in a huge win for them:</p><blockquote>“We stayed together today, the whole time,” Ingram said. “We were down by 20 or 25 and figured out a way in the third quarter to keep battling back.”</blockquote><p>Not to be undermined, though, is the individual performances of these two studs for New Orleans. Ingram dropped a game-high 33 points with five triples and six boards, while Williamson chipped in with 28 points and 10 rebounds. Zion also <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-jayson-tatum-zion-williamson-trade-buckets-force-overtime/" rel="noopener">bullied his way to the rim</a> deep in the fourth period to ensure that the Celtics wouldn’t come away with a regulation victory.</p><p>The Pelicans came into Sunday’s contest with back-to-back losses. Needless to say, it was an important victory for them, and one that could mark the start of a good run.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram vocal on Pelicans’ change of heart

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 18px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 16px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: #0000FF;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 16px;    text-decoration: none;}ul {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 16px;}ol {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    padding: 0px 0px 0px 15px;    font-size: 16px;    border-left: 2px solid black;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 12px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;    background-color: #EFEFEF;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article><header><figure><img src="https://clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/ingram.jpg"></figure><h1>Pelicans’ Brandon Ingram’s perfectly timed 3-pointer downs Celtics in overtime</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2021-02-21T15:56:41-08:00">February 21st, 3:56pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2021-02-21T16:02:53-08:00">February 21st, 4:02pm</time><address><a>Matt Wadleigh</a></address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New Orleans Pelicans and Boston Celtics game is finally over after a back-and-forth ending on Sunday. Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram put the final nail in the coffin with a huge three-pointer with less than a minute left to secure the 120-115 victory for New Orleans.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Ingram CLUTCH three for the lead 💦<a href="https://t.co/9vj2ywTXxG" target="_blank">pic.twitter.com/9vj2ywTXxG</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPointsApp/status/1363632440095371264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank">February 21, 2021</a></p></blockquote><p></p></figure><p>It was a thrilling finish and both teams exchanged huge buckets down the stretch before Ingram’s three proved too much for the Celtics to overcome. Jayson Tatum tied the game at the end of regulation with a beautiful floater that sent the game to an extra period.</p><p>Prior to that, Zion Williamson <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-jayson-tatum-zion-williamson-trade-buckets-force-overtime/">absolutely bullied</a> Tristan Thompson down low for the bucket and the foul to give the Pelicans the lead before Tatum’s clutch shot knotted it up.</p><p>Ingram finished with a <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401267625">game-high 33 points</a> on 11-22 from the field and Zion chipped in 28 points with 10 boards after a four-point first half on Sunday. The Pelicans were down 16 at the break and had a 24-point deficit in the third quarter. The comeback is the biggest one in franchise history and a huge testament to their relentless.</p><p>For the Celtics, Tatum led the way with 32 points on 10-24 from the field and nine boards while Jaylen Brown had 25 points and nine assists. Kemba Walker struggled big-time from the field with 14 points on 5-21 shooting, including a rough 1-12 clip from beyond the arc.</p><p>The Pelicans outscored the Celtics 34-21 in the fourth quarter and never looked back and sealed the deal thanks to Ingram’s huge shot. For Boston, this is just another page in their book of tough losses this season as they continue to trend towards the wrong side of the Eastern Conference standings.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans’ Brandon Ingram’s perfectly timed 3-pointer downs Celtics in overtime

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 18px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 16px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: #0000FF;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 16px;    text-decoration: none;}ul {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 16px;}ol {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    padding: 0px 0px 0px 15px;    font-size: 16px;    border-left: 2px solid black;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 12px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;    background-color: #EFEFEF;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article><header><figure><img src="https://clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Brandon-Ingram-Ben-Simmons-Pelicans-Sixers.jpg"></figure><h1>Ben Simmons vs. Brandon Ingram: Who’s the Better NBA Rookie Card Investment?</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2021-02-02T08:13:49-08:00">February 2nd, 8:13am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2021-02-02T08:17:03-08:00">February 2nd, 8:17am</time><address><a>Julio Luis Munar</a></address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>A lot of basketball fans, especially NBA cards collectors, often display their reverence for the players belonging to the 2017-18 and 2018-19 Draft Class. Their appreciation for these two classes is a given because most of the NBA’s promising young stars were drafted during these years. The most notable names include <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/sports/nba/players/luka-doncic/b74d0a0c">Luka Doncic</a>, Jayson Tatum, Trae Young, and Donovan Mitchell, among others.</p><p>While this trend is evident among most fans, players from the 2016-17 Draft aren’t as popular as those from the two classes that followed. This really shouldn’t be the case because there are so many rookies from this draft that deserve more recognition.</p><p>Take a look at various teams in the league and you’ll see why. There’s <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/sports/nba/players/domantas-sabonis/927d082f">Domantas Sabonis</a> who’s having a career year in Indiana, along with Malcolm Brogdon. Jaylen Brown is taking another leap as an offensive force for the Celtics while Fred VanVleet is cementing his legacy in Toronto. There are also other notable stars from this class that have made their mark in the league, like Caris LeVert, Jamal Murray, and Pascal Siakam, among others.</p><p>Although those players are good in their own right, only two from the 2016-17 class can be considered as bona fide stars for their respective teams. These are <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/sports/nba/players/ben-simmons/b7cf09aa">Ben Simmons</a> and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/sports/nba/players/brandon-ingram/9deb0919">Brandon Ingram</a>. Of the two, who is the better investment for NBA card collectors?</p><h2><b>The case for investing in Ben Simmons</b></h2><p>A winning team will always have a good effect on a player’s cards. In this case, the main reason to invest in Ben Simmons rookie cards can be tied up to the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/sports/nba/philadelphia-76ers/news">Philadelphia 76ers</a> record this season. They are currently in the Eastern Conference’s top spot with a 15-6 record and second behind the Utah Jazz in the entire league.</p><figure><img src="https://clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Joel-Embiid-Ben-Simmons-Doc-Rivers-Sixers.jpg"></figure><p>Some pundits are already forecasting that the 76ers will make a deep playoff run in the east, thanks to a well-structured roster that fits the talents of Simmons and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/sports/nba/players/joel-embiid/bafc0a09">Joel Embiid</a>. In the event Philadelphia at least reaches the Eastern Conference finals, Simmons’ card value will definitely rise up as his team will count on him as their starting point guard.</p><p> </p><h2><b>Why you should steer clear from Ben Simmons rookie cards</b></h2><p>Even though the 76ers greatly disappointed everyone last season, Ben Simmons was still a bright spot, thanks to his impressive performance as a legitimate two-way star. The same can’t be said this season.</p><figure><img src="https://clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Sixers-Ben-Simmons-.jpg"></figure><p>Simmons is currently averaging 13.3 points, a downgrade from last season’s 16.4 per game. While his defensive box plus/minus rating slightly improved, Simmons role in Philadelphia’s offense <a href="https://www.theringer.com/nba/2021/1/15/22232686/sixers-shooters-ben-simmons-joel-embiid">has been relegated</a> in favor of Embiid.</p><p>This regression in Simmons’ performance does not bode well for his value in the NBA card market. As a result, his cards may stagnate, or even stumble if Philadelphia doesn’t go far in the postseason.</p><p> </p><h2><b>The case for investing in Brandon Ingram</b></h2><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/sports/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/news">New Orleans Pelicans</a> recently signed Brandon Ingram to a five-year $158 million max contract extension. This development is a clear sign that the organization believes in him as the team’s primary cornerstone.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">B.I. is feelin' it 🔥</p><p>Back-to-back triples put <a href="https://twitter.com/B_Ingram13?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank">@B_Ingram13</a> at 23 points and counting <a href="https://t.co/GsegIkSAbT" target="_blank">pic.twitter.com/GsegIkSAbT</a></p><p>— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/PelicansNBA/status/1354635399570677760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank">January 28, 2021</a></p></blockquote><p></p></figure><p>Ingram’s increased role as the Pelicans’ top dog is a good thing for his card stock. The fifth-year forward boasts a complete game with averages of 23.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.6 assists in 34.9 minutes per contest. He’s also draining 37% of his 6.2 attempts from beyond the arc per game.</p><p>These numbers show how Ingram has progressed from his days as a Laker to the Pelicans’ number one option. Even with <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/sports/nba/players/zion-williamson/adc009ff">Zion Williamson</a> developing well alongside him, his value remains bullish in the card market because of his impressive offense.</p><p> </p><h2><b>Why you should steer clear from Brandon Ingram rookie cards</b></h2><p>The New Orleans Pelicans are currently in 14th place in the Western Conference with a 7-12 record. Some experts have attributed their disappointing performance to a number of factors, such as a slower style of play, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/sports/nba/players/lonzo-ball/b5820a02">Lonzo Ball</a>’s regression, and a roster that doesn’t complement the strengths of Ingram and Williamson as their primary scorers. Whatever the case may be, Ingram’s Pelicans just can’t seem to put it all together.</p><p>NOLA’s poor record is not a good sign for Ingram’s card value. As stated earlier, a team’s standing impacts a player’s stock. If this continues, Ingram will be left behind by his contemporaries.</p><figure><img src="https://clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/pelicans-news-brandon-ingram-agrees-to-5-year-158-million-extension-with-new-orleans.png"></figure><h2><b>The Verdict?</b></h2><p>When comparing these reasons against each other, Ingram’s ascension as an offensive force trumps Simmons and his role for the surging 76ers. The individual accomplishment of Ingram helps drive demand for his NBA cards better than that of his rival from Philadelphia. As his play gets better every year, winning Most Improved Player and making his first All-Star game, so should his value. </p><p>Despite the fact that the Pelicans seem to be stagnating already, it’s probably going to work itself out sooner or later when you have two talents like Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson at the helm.</p><p>Ben Simmons meanwhile has seen his numbers regress and continues to be a clear sidekick to Joel Embiid. Unless Ben Simmons can one day control a team of his own and learn to develop the potential he flashed as a rookie, he may plateau for the time being – both on the court and for his card value.</p><p>Better accumulate your Brandon Ingram rookie cards now before he takes another leap soon.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2020-21 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
24.2	5.2	4.7	0.8	0.7

2020-21 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
24.2	5.2	4.7	0.8	0.7

Brandon
Ingram

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